Plier-type wrench



H. M. SVEBILIUS. PLIER TYPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. I920.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

f/en v q svzi/lu W0" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PLIER-TYPE WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed May 14, 1920. Serial No. 381,424.

T 0 all to 710m. it may 0011 ccrn:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. Svnmmus, citizen of the United States, residing at Evanstou, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plier-Type \Vrenches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to hand tools of the general class of wrenches and pliers, and in one aspect aims to )rovide a wrench of the general type of a pair of pliers, but equipped with means for latching the jaws so that the desiredturning of the object can be accomplished with a moderately firm gripping of the handles. More particularly, my invention aims to provide a wrench of this type in which the jaws can readily and instantly be opened and closed by the single hand ,holding the tool, and in which no resistance is normally offered to such opening or closing movement; to provide means for automatically locking the jaws against separational movement when they have grasped the object, and to provide simple means for automatically releasing the latching means when the grasp on the handles is relaxed.

In another aspect. my invention aims to provide a pair of pliers, or a tool of that general class, having a parallel movement for its jaws, and to provide means for effecting a relatively large opening and closing movement of the jaws while maintaining the movement of the handles within a reach easily grasped by a single hand of average size. More particularly, my invention also aims to provide a hand tool embodying both of the above named aspects of my invention, namely the parallel jaw movement, the wide opening and closing movement in a tool of the pliers type, the automatic latching of the jaws to a definite spacing when they have grasped an object, and the automatic releasing of the jaws to permit a spreading of the same when the grasp on the handles is relaxed. Still further and more detailed objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a tool embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section taken through the same tool, taken longitudinally of the same and along the correspondingly numbered line of Fig. 2 and showing the tool as it appears while pressure is applied to the handles to grip an object.

Referring first to the connecting mechanism or parallel motion arrangement between difi'crcnt parts which makes my invention equally adaptable for the construction of pliers or wrenches, the tool illustrated in the drawings includes a pair of jaw members whose jaws 1 and 2 present the opposed surfaces in parallel planes. Each of these jaw members also has longitudinal slots 3. which slots extend parallel to the opposed gripping faces of the jaws. To maintain the said opposed jaw faces continuously parallel to each other while the two jaw members are moved with respect to each other, I connect these members through a pair of intersecting levers 4L and 5, which levers are .pivoted to each other at their intersection through a pivot pin 6. Each of these levers is pivoted at one end to one of the jaw members adjacent to the jaw thereof, as for example through a pivot pin 7, and at its other end carries a pin 8 slidably engaging the walls of the slot 3 of the other jaw member. Consequently, it the levers 4 and 5 are relatively moved about their pivotal connection 6, the engagement of the pins 8 with the walls of the adjacent slots 3 will maintain the jaw members continuously in arallel relation to each other.

0 effect such a relative movement of the intersecting levers and hence of the jaw members, I provide the jaw member which includes the jaw 1 with a handle 9, and provide a companion handle 10 associated with the intersecting levers. For this purpose I am here showing the handle 10 as being pivoted to the jaw member which includes the jaw 1 through a pin 11 and am showing the handle 10 as having a slot 12 slidably housing a pin 13 on the levert. This pin 13 desirably is farther from the pivot pin 11 than the pivot pin 6 which connects the levers at and 5. Consequently, while a relative movement of the two handles will operate through the engagement of the pin 13 with the slot 12 for rocking the intersecting l levers 1 about their pivots and hence will move the jaw members with l'espectto each other, the above mentioned difference in the distances of the pivotal pins 6 and 13 from the pivot 11 will cause the jaws to move less than the handles. I therefore obtain the benefit of a leverage which is highly desirable in securing a good grip on any object interposed between the jaws, such as a nut 14:. However, by curving the handle 10 so that its free end extends substantially parallel to the handle 9 when the tool is opened wide,'I can secure a jaw opening of considerable width while (:OIlStI'UCtiHg the tool of such a size that it will readily be grasped by the single hand of an ordinary individual. Consequently, I can readily construct a pair of pliers of this kind which will combine a firm grasp, a positive parallel motion, and an unusual jaw opening in a tool adapted to be operated with one hand.

While the tool as above described will answer nicely for many purposes for which pliers are ordinarily used, it still would not be adequate for cases where there is a considerable tendency to spread the jaws while the tool is being used. For example, if the object gripped between the jaws is to be rotated, as for instance after the manner of using a wrench in such a case, an attempt to impart rotation to the nut 14 would immediately cause a slipping and wider opening of the jaws unless the handles were forced toward each other with a pressure which could not readily be maintained by the hand I of an ordinary individual without rapidly tiring himself. To overcome this objection, I preferably provide means associated with the handle 9 for automatically latching the jaw members against a spreading movement when the jaws have firmly gripped an interposed object. To accomplish this, I am here showing the handle 9 as also pivoted to the adjacent jaw member through the pivot pin 11 and am showing this handle as hmited in its movements with respect to the jaw member. For this latter purpose, I may provide a spring 15 mounted within the handle 9 and continuously engaging the rear end of the shank 16 with which the jaw 1 is associated, so as topress this shank against a pin 17 also carried by the handle 9, after the manner of Fig. 1. Then I interpose between the handle 9 and the adjacent jaw member a latching dog which is here shown as a lever 18 pivot- .ed to the pin 8 and having a tooth 19 directed toward the outer face of the shank 16. This lever 11 is normallv rocked about its said pivot by a spring 20 to such an extent as to keep the tooth 19 out of contact with the outer face of the shank 16, but the lever 18 also has a heel 21 slidably engaging the handle 9 and adapted to rock this lever about its pivotal mounting when the handle 9 is moved about the pivot 7 with respect to heel 21 on the handle 9 will rock the lever 18 to the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby causing the tooth 19 to bite face of the shank 16. By so doing, the latching member will lock the lever 4 from moving with respect to the shank 16 and will therefore prevent the two iaws from being spread farther apart as long as the pressure applied to the handles keeps the latching lever rocked to the position of Fig. 3 against the pressure of the spring 20. The tool as illustrated can therefore be used effectively as a wrench for the gripped object, such as the nut 14, without requiring any greater grasping pressure than that needed for overcoming the pressure of the springs in setting the latch.

As soon as this pressure is relaxed, the in terposed yielding means (namely the spring 15, which is here also shown as supplemented as to a part of its action by a spring 20) will rock both the lever 18 and the handle 9 back to their free positions of Fig. 1. The tool as described can therefore be opened or closed instantly and since the intersecting levers afford a parallel movement for the jaws, the tool can be used effectively as a wrench for various sizes of nuts without danger of rounding their edges. In practice, I preferably provide two sets of intersecting levers 4 and 5 on opposite sides of the jaw members with offets so that the jaws proper will continually be spaced farther from each other than the stop portions 22 which can engage each other when the tool is folded to a compact form for storage.

However, I do not wish to be limited to these or other details of the construction and arrangement thus disclosed. Obviously, various additions, omissions or other changes might be made. without departing from the spirit of my invention, or from the appended claims. Neither do I wish to be limited to the use of my invention as a wrench for nuts, since other uses will readily suggest themselves while further uses may develop from time to time.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tool of the pliers type, a pair of jaw members, a pair of handles operatively connected thereto, and means operated by a continued approaching of the handles after the engagement of the jaws with an interposed object, for biting directly into a face into the adj acent I,

of one of the jaw members to lock the jaws against separational movement.

2. A handled and jawed tool of the pher type including a jaw member having a.

smooth face directed away from the object gripped by the jaws; and-means:operated jointly by the resistance of the said object, and by pressure of the handles toward each other, for biting into the said smooth jaw face to prevent a separational movement of the jaws.

3. In a handled and jawed tool of the pliers type, yielding means permitting a further approaching movement of the handles after the jaw members have gripped an object, and a pivoted member interposed between one jaw member and the adjacent handle and movable by such further movement of the handles for biting into the said jaw member and thereby latching the jaws against separational movement, and spring means for normally holding the pivoted member from such biting.

4. In a tool of the pliers type, a pair of jaw members, a pair of handles, means connecting the jaw members and including an element having slidable engagement with one thereof longitudinally of the latter; and a latching member pivoted to the said element and operable by a continued approaching of the handles after the jaws have gripped an interposed object for preventing a movement of the said element lon itudinally of the jaw member with whic it is slidably engaged.

5. In a tool of the pliers type, a pair of jaw members, a pair of handles operably connected thereto, and latching means interposed between one of the handles and the adjacent jaw member and slidable'with respect to the said handle and the latching means having a biting portion adapted to be clamped between the said adjacent jaw member and the said handle by a continued approaching of the handles after the jaw members have gripped an object.

6. In a wrench, a pair of jaw members, a pair of handles both pivoted to one of the jaw members, connections whereby a relative mo ving of the handles causes a relative movement of the jaws; and yielding means movabl with respect to the said connections and pivoted to an element thereof and interposed between one of the jaw members and one of the handles for latching the said connections to prevent a further approaching of the jaws upon a continued approaching Ir vement of the handles after the jaws have gripped an object.

7. In a wrench, a pair of jaw members, a pair of handles both pivoted to one of the jaw members, connections whereby a relative moving of the handles causes a relative movement of the jaws; latching means pivoted upon one element of the said conneci tions and adapted to latch the connections -one of the handles and the jaw member to which both handles are pivoted, the said spring means normally holding the latching means inoperative.

8. In a plier or wrench, a pair of jaw members, parallehmotion connecting means between said members, a pair of handles both pivoted to one of the jaw members, one of the handles being directly associated with the last named jaw member and the other handle being connected to the companion jaw member only through the said connecting means, and means carried by the said connecting means and interposed between the last named jaw member and handle for latching the jaws against separational movement while the handles are being pressed toward each other.

9. In a plier or wrench, a pair of jaw members, parallel motion connections between said members including a pair of crossed levers pivoted to each other at their intersection, a pair'of handles both pivoted to the same jaw member, one of the handles being directly associated with the last named jaw member and the other handle being slidably connected to the parallel motion connections at the saidpivotal connection of the crossed levers.

10. In a plier or wrench, a pair of jaw members, parallel motion connections between said members, and a pair of handles both pivoted to one of the said members; the said connections comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate of their ends and each pivoted at one end to one of the jaw members and slidably con nected at its other end to the other jaw member; one of the handles being substantially an extension of the jaw member to which the handles are pivoted, the other handle being slidably connected to one of the said levers.

11. In a plier or wrench, a pair of jaw members, parallel motion connections between jaw members, and a pair of handles both pivoted to one of the jaw members; the said connections comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate of their ends and each pivoted at one end to one of the jaw members and slidably connected at its other end to the other jaw member; one of the handles being substantially fast upon the jaw member to which the handles are pivoted, the other handle being slidably connected to one of the said levers at a point farther from the aforesaid handle than the pivotal connection between the levers.

12. In a tool of the pliers type, a pair of jaw members, a pair of handle members operatively connected thereto, and latching means interposed between one of. the. jaw bers between which'it is interposed by a conmembers and one of the handles and movtinned approaching of the handles after the able both longitudinally and transversely jaws have grigped an interposed object. 10 /thereof and having a biting portion directed Signed at vanston, Illinois, May 8th, 5 tbward one thereof, the said latching means 1920.

beingso disposed that the biting portion thereof will be forced into one of the mem- HENRY .M. SVEBILIUS. 

